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Aegis Guam System and Exercise Sling Stone: A powerful duo for Guam’s defense

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In a major boost for Guam’s missile defense posture, the Aegis Guam System successfully intercepted a ballistic missile target off the coast of Andersen Air Force Base. This event, officially designated as Flight Experiment Mission-02 (FEM-02), marks the first time a ballistic missile defense operation has been executed from Guam, and involved collaboration between the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and several other U.S. Department of Defense partners.


Photo: MDA
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Northrop Grumman begins construction of first E-2D for French Navy

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Northrop Grumman has commenced production of the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye for the French Navy, ushering in a new era of airborne command and control capabilities for the European naval air arm. The symbolic event took place at Northrop Grumman’s St. Augustine manufacturing facility and saw key representatives from the French Navy, Northrop Grumman, and US Naval agencies in attendance.


Graphic: Northrop Grumman
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Israel and U.S. target different threats in post-Assad airstrikes

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Amidst the power vacuum left by the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, both Israel and the U.S. have wasted no time in conducting airstrikes within Syria.

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron takes off from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, May 12, 2019. This was the first mission of the Bomber Task Force deployed to U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in order to defend American forces and interests in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nichelle Anderson)

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Osprey grounded again

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The Pentagon has once again grounded its entire fleet of V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. This comes after a worrying incident at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on Nov. 20, where a CV-22 Osprey experienced a near-crash shortly after takeoff. Initial investigations suggest that weakened metal components in a critical part may have been a contributing factor.

An Estonian Special Operations Forces operator prepares to be hoisted up to a
U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey, assigned to 352d Special Operations Wing, during Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System training near Amari, Estonia, Sep. 3, 2019. During the week-long training, U.S. and Estonian special operation forces partnered on FRIES familiarization, casualty evacuation and rapidly loading and off-loading a tactical vehicle onto the aircraft. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Pena)

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